Rashi 9 of 12 · Lahiri sidereal
Dhanu Rashi (Moon sign)
Dhanu is the 9th sign of the sidereal zodiac, 240° to 270°, ruled by Guru. If the Moon was here when you were born, Dhanu is your Moon sign, or rashi, and the sign Indian horoscopes read first.
At a glance
- Degrees
- 240° to 270° of the sidereal zodiac
- Ruling planet
- Guru
- Element
- fire
- Quality
- dual (dwiswabhava)
- Symbol
- The archer
- Nakshatras inside
- Mula, Purva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha
- The Sun is here
- 16 Dec to 15 Jan (2027)
- Western (tropical) sign of the same name
- Sagittarius (tropical, a different measure)
What a Moon in Dhanu is like
With Chandra in Dhanu the mind is hopeful, frank and philosophical. You need room to roam, physically or intellectually, and you lift the mood of others.
Dhanu is the sign of the seeker. Fire and dual quality give an optimistic, outspoken Moon with a hunger for meaning, travel and higher learning. Teaching, law, publishing, travel and spiritual study suit it. The practice that helps most is attending to details, and to people whose circle is smaller than yours.
Guru (Jupiter), the planet of wisdom and growth, is its lord.
Nakshatras in Dhanu
Dhanu covers 240° to 270° of the sidereal zodiac and contains these nakshatras. The one your Moon was in adds detail and sets where your Vimshottari dasha begins.
- Mula — all four padas
- Purva Ashadha — all four padas
- Uttara Ashadha — pada 1 only
Rashi and Sun sign
Your rashi is your Moon sign, the sign the Moon occupied at your birth. The Sun changes sign once a month but the Moon every two and a quarter days, so finding your Moon sign needs your birth time and place. Indian horoscopes read it first: for names, for Kundali Milan and for transits such as Sade Sati.
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, fixed to the stars; Western Sun signs use the tropical zodiac, fixed to the seasons. The two are about 24°14′ apart in October 2026, so for about four people in five the sidereal Sun sign is the one before the Western one.
Dhanu in Kundali Milan
Bhakoot Koota (7 points) compares the two Moon signs. It scores 0 when they are 2nd and 12th, 5th and 9th, or 6th and 8th from each other, and 7 otherwise. For a Dhanu Moon the pairings that score 0 are with Makara, Vrishchika, Mesha, Simha, Vrishabha and Karka. The sign’s ruler, Guru, is the planet that Graha Maitri (5 points) compares.
Sade Sati for a Dhanu Moon
Sade Sati is the stretch of about seven and a half years when Saturn passes through the sign before the Moon sign, the Moon sign itself and the sign after it: for a Dhanu Moon, Saturn in Vrishchika, Dhanu and Makara. These runs come from Saturn’s sidereal ingresses; they are not a forecast of events.
| Saturn enters Vrishchika | Saturn enters Dhanu | Saturn enters Makara | Run ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2014 | January 2017 | January 2020 | January 2023 |
| December 2043 | December 2046 | March 2049 | February 2052 |
Check your own dates with the Sade Sati calculator; it finds your Moon sign from your date of birth.
Questions people ask
What is Dhanu rashi?
Dhanu is sign 9 of the 12 in the sidereal zodiac, from 240° to 270°. Its symbol is the archer, its element is fire, its quality is dual (dwiswabhava) and its ruler is Guru. When the Moon was in this sign at your birth, Dhanu is your rashi.
Which nakshatras fall in Dhanu?
Mula, Purva Ashadha and Uttara Ashadha (pada 1 only) fall in Dhanu. Each nakshatra is 13°20′ wide, so a sign holds two and a quarter of them.
Is Dhanu rashi the same as Sagittarius?
Not quite. Sagittarius is a tropical sign, measured from the spring equinox, and Western horoscopes use it for the Sun. Dhanu is a sidereal sign, measured against the stars, and Vedic astrology uses it mainly for the Moon. The two zodiacs are about 24°14′ apart today, so the labels line up only roughly.
How do I find my Moon sign?
You need your date, time and place of birth. The free kundali on JYOTISH.info calculates the Moon’s sidereal position with the Lahiri ayanamsa and shows your rashi and nakshatra. If you do not know the time, the Moon changes sign during the day on about four days in ten, and the app flags the result as approximate.
How is Dhanu used in Kundali Milan?
Bhakoot Koota compares the two Moon signs and scores 0 or 7. For a Dhanu Moon the signs that score 0 are Makara, Vrishchika, Mesha, Simha, Vrishabha and Karka. Graha Maitri uses the rulers of the two signs; here that is Guru.
When is Sade Sati for a Dhanu Moon?
Sade Sati runs for a Dhanu Moon, from Saturn’s entry into Vrishchika to its exit from Makara, fall in these periods: November 2014 to January 2023 and December 2043 to February 2052. Saturn’s retrograde turns can bring it back across a sign boundary for a few months, which the dates allow for.
Every position on this page is calculated sidereal with the Lahiri ayanamsa from the astronomy-engine library (MIT licence). The classical texts describe tendencies; this page is for guidance and reflection, not a verdict, and no outcome is promised. How we calculate. This is the English page and the legal reference. The same page is available in Hindi. Checked October 2026.